“Liking isn’t helping”

As we live our day to day lives, we are constantly presented with advertisements of all

sorts. Some advertisements are so conveying that the audience can’t help but give into and

contribute to the ad’s overall purpose. Whether this simply means singing along to a commercial

or donating money to relief programs every month, ads use many components and face several

impacting decisions that affect the audience and the total outcome of the illustration. Needless to

say, not all advertisements are quite effective. In some cases, viewers might even question the

existence of the text. In others however, the message is so influential, it grasps the audience’s

attention and creates a sense of action.

The illustration “Liking isn’t helping” is such a great example of what skills and

techniques an author incorporates in his image to help convey his message. To begin with, the

advertisement displays an image of a woman and a boy on the floor. The woman’s body

language is focused entirely on the boy as she wraps her hands around his body and face. The

woman is staring directly at the child who seems to be injured and is laying unresponsively in

her arms. Although no injuries are visibly clear, there are dark stains on the child’s clothing and

his mouth is wide open. The boy has no shoes and the woman is roped in a hijab and clothing

that covers her whole body. A number of hands circle the pair of individuals but instead of

helping, the hands simply gesture a thumbs up. Furthermore, the image is illustrated in a black

and white color scheme which helps create a somber tone. The advertisement contains a text

reading “Liking isn’t helping” along with “Be a volunteer. Change a life”. Besides the second

phrase, an organization is referenced.

The organization, also known as the Crisis Relief Singapore, is a Christian disaster relief

organization who published this ad in 2013. This organization begun in 1999 and is ran by
volunteers who provide training and opportunities for those who seek to make a difference. They

are Christian centered and focus on giving a little bit more extra help to disadvantaged women

and children. This advertisement, alongside with a couple others, was made with the sole

intention to recruit volunteers.

Taking all of the facts into consideration, the author does a great job using various

techniques to achieve his purpose. Although the organization might have not convinced every

single viewer to become a volunteer, they certainly sparked interest. To begin with, the

illustration focuses mainly on the woman and the injured child. As viewers notice the child’s

condition, the woman’s clothing, and their environment, it is easy to assume that they reside in

third world conditions. Noting this, the author uses pathos to make the audience feel a sense of

sadness and guilt. This is due to the fact that because we live in the United States, we are

bombarded with endless amounts of resources. We are not able to relate to the happening of the

image as we have easy access to anything we need to survive. This causes a sense of guilt as

many resources are easily attainable to many, yet no action is being done in order to help the

ones who need it the most.

 In addition, the child’s placement in the image makes the advertisement twice as

effective. For starters, it appeals to many people worldwide. Noting the fact that a child

represents innocence and purity, when people see an injured child, the first thing they want to do

is help him/her. As for women, this advertisement appeals to their maternal instinct. Not only do

they feel a great sense of guilt, but the advertisement also makes them sympathize with the

woman who could be interpreted to be the mother of the child, as well as cause them to feel as if

they need to keep the child away from any harm. The child’s presence in the picture creates a

sense of urgency to provide relief.

The organization also uses key components such as a color scheme to add to the purpose

of the illustration. To elaborate, the black and white filter help guide the viewer to what is most

important. It keeps the audience away from any distractions and even adds seriousness to the

text. The chosen colors create a melancholy tone which contributes to the overall purpose of the

image. Through the text provided, the author also manages to create a mocking tone.

Referencing the incapability of a like given by Facebook users, CRS manages to evoke a sense

of both pathos and logos.

As mentioned before, although the advertisement might not have convinced every single

viewer to become a volunteer, it sure did spark their interest. It also challenged many people.

Specifically, social media users. As represented by the repetition of thumbs up, there are millions

of people online who see publications of people in need of urgent care and will simply give the

post a “like”. Unfortunately, this action is not enough. Thus, the image was created. Although it

was firstly presented back in 2013, when flooding, war, and earthquakes invaded the streets of

Singapore, the problem is still relevant today as thousands of individuals still suffer from such

disasters. The brutal truth is that these hundreds of likes, are not buying starving children food or
funding disaster reliefs. Although the organization recognizes that raising awareness is

necessary, they also know that all of that will be done in vain if people simply just raise

awareness and do not commit any real action to help the individuals in distress.

Needless to mention, the image is part of an advocacy advertisement. Although it targets

and mocks Facebook users, it is found in Facebook as well as many other social media sites. The

reason behind this is not only to spread awareness of the issue but also to serve as a wake-up call

to many individuals who partake in this act. The text is similar to many other advertisements.

From national organizations to local movements, the text is similar as they all strive to spur

action and create an impact.

All in all, the “Liking isn’t helping” advertisement is quite effective and does an excellent

job at conveying their message. It wisely uses strong components such as the color scheme, real

life images, the text, and representation to appeal to the audience’s emotions and logic to

challenge activism. In the end, the ad is used as a call to action and offers viewers the

opportunity to step away from their screens and contribute to making a change to the world.